Clothesline reel



Dcfi. '11, 1938. c. A STOCKWELL'ET AL CLOTHESLINE REEL Filed Jan. 24,1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [NT/ENTERS.

Amvmvzx Oct. 11, 1938. c. A, STOCKWELL ET AL 2,132,548

CLOTHESLINE REEL Filed Jan. 24, 19.1 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zit (I:ggc/cjocx 3a \J [NI/ENTERS.

A TTLmNEx Patented Oct. 11, 1938 CLOTHESLINE REEL Charles A. Stockwelland John O. Stockwell,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application January 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,506

7 Claims.

Ourinvention consists of an improvement in Winding and unwinding reelsfor a clothesline and the like. It has for its object to provide meanswhereby a line may be wound upon and unwound from a spool or suitablecylindricalv device.

Such spool is mounted within an enclosing casing and provided withcontrolling means governing manually exerted power whereby the linemaybe subjected to stretching or tightening tension; or toproportionately high speed retraction or retrieving winding; meanswhereby the line may be drawn out freely for initial location andattachment, and means for controlling the windl ing and unwinding of theline on the spool or drum, together with various other features ashereinafter more fully described.

The machine comprises in its entirety a suitable casing or supportingframe provided with 20 a transverse shaft carrying the winding spool,

gearing whereby the speed of rotation is controlled by longitudinalshifting of the winding shaft, and locking mechanism for the spool,manually operative for preventing reverse rotation 5 of the spool, as infinal tightening.

One preferred construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,in which:

Fig. lis a general view in perspective illustrating the device mountedin operative relation 30 to guiding and terminal connection means forthe line;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view showing the mechanism inoperative condition for fast winding of the line;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View showing the winding shaft in shiftedposition for change gear operation;

40 Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view on the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a similar view on' the line VIVI of Fig. 2 showing thecontrolled ratchet and pawl mechanism.

45 The mechanism is contained within a suitable casing, preferably ofsheet metal, consisting of the endmost walls 2, 2, a rear wall 3 capableof application to any fiat surface as the wall of a building or othersuch support, and an opposite 50 semi-cylindrical enclosing wall 4provided with an opening and closing gate 5 hinged thereto at 6. Gate ordoor 5 is adapted to be opened and closed, and when opened as in Fig. 1,to allow for passage of the line 1. When closed, the gate 5 55 liesflush with the main semi-cylindrical wall portion 4 for weatherprotection, enclosing the interior and its parts.

Endmost brackets 8 provide centrally arranged bearings 9 for mounting ofthe central shaft l0, also rearwardly extending arms terminating 5 inattaching lugs or flanges ll adapted tobe secured against the wallsurface or post by bolts or the like, extending through the open slotsl2. Such bolts may be provided with tightening nuts or the usual boltheads, as preferred. 10

If preferred, the end walls 2 may be made entirely of cast metal,including the several shaft bearings and attaching lugs, in one integralcasting.

Shaft I0 is rotatably mounted through the endmost hubs I3 and I30.carrying the winding spool or reel [4 and its terminal heads or flanges15, upon and between which endwise the cord 1 is wound.

The inner end of the cord is secured to one end of the spool M in anysuitable manner and is designed to be wound upon and unwound from thespool progressively from one end to the other, subject to the automaticspacing fork l6.

Fork l6 consists of a bifurcated arcuate arm, between the members ofwhich the cord 1 passes, and the fork is secured to a feed control nutI1 engageable with the right and left hand double groove feed screw l8,of well known construction. Nut I1 is provided with a controlling arm I9 slidably engaging a transverse shaft or bar 20 extending across fromand between the opposite end. walls 2, at the upper corner portionthereof,

as in Fig. 3.

As the double thread screw I8 is rotated, in conformity with the windingor unwinding of the spool, the fork I6 will be thrust synchronously backand forth, in conformity with the winding or unwinding of the line, asindicated in Fig. 2.

It is desirable in such construction to provide for free paying out ofthe cord in passing it through guides 2|, if used, and in securing it toa terminal attachment device, such as the hook 22, as in Fig. 1. The endof the line is provided with a tip 23 having a slot 24, fitting over theupturned end of the hook, either directly or after the line has beenpassed through the guides 2|. for corner disposition. The line, ofcourse, may be directly attached to the bracket 22 when used in a singlestraight line form, dependent upon the length to be utilized. In such'case bracket, 22, or another similar bracket,

should of course be located in proper relative position. I

In providing for the concurrent rotation of screw 18, either in windingor unwinding the line, said screw is in constant connection with thespool by a series of interengaging gears 25, 26 and 21. Gear 25 isfixedly secured to hub l3 in any suitable manner as by rivets 28, andthe middle or idler gear 26 is rotatably mounted on a supporting stud'orspindle 29 extending inwardly from the end Wall 2. Gear 21 is fixedlyconnected with the end of screw 18 in any suitable way, as by pin 35,the terminal bearing ends 3| of the screw or its shaft being rotatablymounted in both opposite end walls and the brackets 8, as shown.

A fast speed winding gear 32 is rotatably mounted around the end portionof shaft l0, and is provided with a hub 33 having a transverse slot 34for engagement by a cross pin or key 35 of shaft I0, when the shaft isthrust inwardly to make such engagement, as in Fig. 2. When in suchposition gear 32 is thus in driving engagement with the shaft l0. Gear32 engages a small gear or pinion 36 integral with or secured to middlegear 26, and revoluble with it on stud 29. When shaft ID is in suchoperative connection with gear 32 rapid retrieving or winding motion istransmitted to the spool l4, due to the relative proportions of gears 32and 36.

For eifecting a reduced speed and corresponding increased tensioningpower in winding the line inwardly upon the spool, gear 25 is providedwith a similar hub 31 and cross slot 38, capable of being engaged by pin35 when shaft 10 is retracted. By such retraction gear 32 becomes anidle gear rotatable on shaft H), and shaft in is then in drivingengagement with gear 25 for direct application of power to the spool. Ineither case, whether spool I4 is rotated fast or slow, the same relativespeed will be maintained between the spool and the feeding screw I8, forregulated winding or unwinding of the line.

It will be understood that in shifting shaft l it is necessary to firstrotate it sufficiently to bring slots 34 and 38 into register, which maybe gasily done by manipulation of the winding crank In either suchposition, assuming the line to be completely wound on the spool, it maybe freely drawn outwardly and connected by its opposite terminal. Thusretraction of the shaft l0 and engagement between pin 35 and slot 33enables the application of greatest power in winding up slack of theline to the point of desired tension for use. To prevent reverseunwinding, the opposite end of the spool is provided with a ratchetwheel 40 which may be a portion of the opposite hub 30., or fixedlyconnected therewith, or with the shaft H3 as preferred.

Cooperating with ratchet wheel 45 is a pawl t! mounted on an actuatingstem 42 having a finger piece #3 and a controlling spring 44 for holdingthe pawl at one side or the other of the dead center spring bearing, inlooking or unlocking position, as indicated in Fig. 6, and as limited byan abutment 45.

By flipping the finger stem 43 the pawl may be thrown into engagingposition so that as the ratchet wheel 45 is rotated for tight winding inthe direction of the arrow, pawl 4| will interengage and lock theratchet against reverse movement, maintaining the line in taut stretchedcondition as desired for use.

When thus used and the free line is to bereturned to the casing, it isdesirable to do so rapidly and with the minimum number of rota tions ofshaft 10. The pawl M is ineffective or may be thrown out to inoperativeposition and shaft i0 is thrust inwardly for driving engagement withgear 32, whereupon high speed rewinding motion is transmitted to thespool and the line is re-wound rapidly, with proper replacement aroundand upon the spool, the gate then being closed until the device isdesired for further use.

The general construction and operation of the invention will beunderstood from the drawings and the foregoing description.

It provides for free and easy paying out of the l ne, for powerfulstretching upon it in reverse tightening for use by low gear directcrank and shaft engagement, and for rapid retraction or retrievingthrough gears 32, 36, 26 and 25, with a minimum number of crank andshaft rotations, after such use. 7

The device is comparatively simple in construction, completely protectedfrom the weather, easily manipulated, and possesses advantages ofefficiency and economy in contrast to anything heretofore devised.

It will be understood that it may be changed or varied in detailconstruction, speed of operation in either direction by modification ofthe gear ratios, or in other respects by the skilled mechanic, but thatall such are to be considered as within the scope of the followingclaims.

What we claim is:

1. In a clothesline reel, the combination with a supporting frame, of awinding shaft, a spool freely rotatable thereon having an endmost gearwheel fixed thereto, an engaging gear Wheel therefor having a companiongear wheel rotatable therewith, a gear wheel freely rotatable on theshaft engaging the companion gear, and means on the shaft connecting italternatively with the freely rotatable and endmost fixed gearrespectively upon longitudinal shifting of the shaft. 7

2. In a clothesline reel, the combination with a supporting frame, of alongitudinally movable winding shaft having a key, a spool freely r0-tatable on the shaft having an endmost gear wheel fixed thereto providedwith a slot for said key for direct rotation of the spool, an engaginggear wheel therefor having a companion gear wheel rotatable therewith, agear wheel freely rotatable on the shaft engaging the companion gear andprovided with a slot for the shaft key whereby longitudinal shifting androtation of the shaft will effect rotation of the spool at a variablespeed.

3. In a clothesline reel, the combination with a supporting frame, of alongitudinally movable winding shaft having a key, a spool freelyrotatable on the shaft having an endmost gear wheel fixed theretoprovided with a slot for the shaft key :for direct connection with thespool, a gear wheel engaging the endmost gear having a pinion gearrotatable therewith, a gear wheel freely rotatable on the shaft engagingthe pinion and provided with a slot for the shaft key whereby rotationof the shaft will effect rotation of the spool at a speed in excess ofthat resulting from key engagement with the endmost gear under normalshaft rotation.

4. In a clothesline reel, the combination with a supporting frame, of awinding shaft, a spool freely rotatable thereon having an endmost gearwheel fixed thereto, an engaging gear wheel therefor having a companiongear wheel rotatable therewith, a gear wheel freely rotatable on theshaft engaging the companion gear,

shaft.

5. In a clothesline reel, the combination with a supporting frame, of awinding shaft, a spool freely rotatable thereon having an endmost gearwheel fixed thereto, an engaging gear wheel therefor having a companiongear wheel rotatable therewith, a gear wheel freely rotatable on theshaft engaging the companion gear, means on the shaft connecting italternatively with the freely rotatable and endmost fixed gearrespectively upon longitudinal shifting of the shaft, a reversing threadscrew shaft rotatably mounted in the frame having a gear wheel in gearedconnection with the endmost gear of the spool through said engaginggear, and a line shifting guide having a nut engaging the screw shaftand a s'lidably mounted extension for maintaining the guide outwardlybeyond the spool.

6. A clothesline reel comprising a casing having a rear wall, end wallsprovided with shaft bearings and supporting extensions, and top andbottom walls and a rounded front wall having an opening and closingdoor; a longitudinally adjustable winding shaft mounted in the end wallshaving at one end a crank handle and at the other end a cross pin key, aspool freely rotatable on the shaft having an endmost fixedly connectedgear wheel provided with a key slot, a reversing thread screw shaftrotatably mounted in the end walls, a line shifting guide having a nutengaging the screw shaft, a gear wheel on the screw shaft, anintermediate gear connecting the screw shaft gear with the spool gearand provided with a pinion, and a large diameter gear wheel rotatablymounted on the windingshaftengagingthepinion and having a key slotengageable by the cross pin key for transmitting accelerated winding ofthe spool when the large diameter gear is in operative engagement withthe winding shaft.

7. In a clothesline reel, the combination with a supporting frame, of awinding shaft, a spool freely rotatable thereon having an endmost gearwheel fixed thereto, an engaging gear wheel therefor having a companiongear wheel rotatable therewith, a gear wheel freely rotatable on theshaft engaging the companion gear, means on the shaft connecting italternatively with the freely rotatable and endmost fixed gearrespectively upon longitudinal shifting of the shaft, a ratchet wheelsecured to the opposite end of the spool, and a co-operating manuallyreleasable pawl engageable with the ratchet wheel adapted to preventreverse rotation of the spool.

CHARLES A. STOCKWELL. JOHN C. STOCKWELL.

